


I'm Not That Into You

by luns



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: AU, DJ H.One, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2019-05-29 17:33:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15078179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luns/pseuds/luns
Summary: When world famous DJ H.One gets in trouble, his reputation in the industry starts to affect his professional life, making him lose important deals. To avoid being thrown and forgotten in the basement of the company, he accepts a deal to collab with an idol, which his manager swears will help him get back in the spotlight.





	I'm Not That Into You

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea what I'm doing.
> 
> Sorry.

_My reputation's never been worse so  
You must like me for me_

 

The beat dropped, and bodies all over the dance floor could be seem moving up and down, swaying to the sides, hands in the air holding plastic cups with colourful drinks, the source of alcohol in their system. And it was all because of him, because DJ H.One knew exactly how to move his hands over the buttons, fingers sliding one up, pressing two down. He could control the crowd easily, and that’s what made him feel so powerful.

That’s, for him, the thrill of being a DJ.

All those people there, they paid a fortune just to be in the same room as him, listening to his mixes, being part of a selected crowd that could spend enough money to buy a car during a night out. They would all blabber to their friends later how they went to _that party DJ H.One was playing_ , tell them how amazing it was and all that.

Later, after the party was over and his crew packed everything, after he shook hands and accepted drinks, he would drive back to the hotel, take a warm bath and browse the internet to look for reviews. It was nice getting all the good feedback, people leaving comments on his Instagram, requesting songs for the next time. Sometimes he'd even tune in the late night radio stations and hear them playing some of his songs, his mixes breaking the barrier of language and distance, reaching the top ranks of Billboard. Fame was nice.

And he had a good reputation too. 

Hyungwon wasn't involved on plagiarism rumours, or celebrity spats. Even when the media tried to pair him up with models, singers and the likes, he always came out as gentle and sweet, but married to his job. It was all that mattered in the end, right? People come and go, and fame can be over in the blink of an eye. He had to care for his source of income, make some savings, for when all this was over.

He was the type to think about everything over a cup of coffee, watching the city slowly coming to life. Hyungwon would wonder about his finances, get ideas for new mixes, rethink his schedule, and usually be glad that when people were leaving for work, he was going to bed.

Life was good like this, he didn’t have much to complain about.

Except maybe his manager.

Kihyun wasn't bad, he wasn't one of those tyrants that get someone to manage their career and end up meddling with their personal life. He was always way more interested in numbers and making Hyungwon attend the most concerts and festivals as possible. There was this one time he called in the morning, telling him to pack up 'cause he had to substitute someone in Hong Kong, and he had one hour to be at the airport.

He had to rush, but he go well paid for that. And one thing people usually don't give much credit for is the nightlife in Hong Kong, which he found amazing. That week he built two new beats, inspired as he was.

Hyungwon was living the life, doing what he loved and being recognized for that. There was nothing more he could ask for. That night in Dubai when he fell asleep, he knew his life could only get better. 

He only met Kihyun again two weeks after he went back home.  
Seoul was starting to feel warmer, and people were leaving the long, heavy coats behind and dressing in more colourful, light clothing. Spring was taking over Winter, giving the city a better image. Hyungwon had a cup of coffee in hand as he waited for his manager in the office, he was on a long call with the company's CEO, who was on his way to Japan for a vacation. Meanwhile he made small talk with the girl in the front desk, and when it became too awkward he moved his ass up to the waiting room in front of Kihyun's office. The large windows showed a good view of the Namsan Tower, and the weak sunlight coming through the glass illuminated the black sofas disposed in “L”, all facing a big screen that occupied a whole wall. On that TV they exposed most of the artists they had in the company: models, girl groups, boy groups, idol rappers, solo artists, other DJs like him. They displayed smiles and expensive looking MVs, clothing and the likes. Hyungwon has met most of them, except maybe the ones who debuted in the last six months. They had all been at some point in the same New Years Party. 

Or at least crossed paths in the building. 

There was this one solo artist, though, with his pretty face on the screen. His songs were catchy, and his smile was bright like the sun, his orange blond locks fell over his eyes, giving him an almost ethereal look.  
He seemed to be good, and talented, and probably new too. Hyungwon didn’t recall ever seeing him in person. By the end of the MV, the name _Lee Minhyuk_ showed up, followed by the name of the song: 해나요Sunny.

“Sunny...” He repeats to himself, not noticing Kihyun's office door had been opened at least twenty seconds earlier and he now stood right beside him. 

“He's making millions with this song, it's a pain the ass, you'll be singing this for the next week or so, unable to get it out of your head.” Kihyun pats his shoulder. “Come on.” He walks back in the office, waiting for Hyungwon inside. Once he hears the door closing behind him, he moves to sire behind his desk, opening some document in his computer. Hyungwon sips his coffee that is now turning into a gross lukewarm mess and sits across from him. 

“I've never seen him in the company, he's new, right?” Hyungwon asks with little to no real interest, just a conversation starter. 

Kihyun is focused on the screen, but shakes his head at Hyungwon's question. “Not really, he's been around for the past year and a half. But he's barely physically around. He's got comeback after comeback, never stops, always on tour. Minhyuk's probably taking a break soon, he might collapse if he doesn't, and his fans will collapse when he does. He's Korea's new sweetheart.” He sighs and then finally turns to him, raising an eyebrow. “So, I got something for you.”

Hyungwon scoffs. “Korea's new sweetheart and I've never heard of him.” He puts his cup on the desk and leans against the comfortable chair. “Alright, shoot.”

“There's this festival to be held next month, they pay well. They contacted me a couple days ago, sent me the release and asked if you could be the main attraction, which means you'll have to go through some other shows before you actually play.” Kihyun rolls his eyes. “I told them you're in another level, you could handle the whole thing by yourself, but they have no sense of business and already closed the deal with these other people.” Kihyun turns to him. “I just closed the deal.”

Hyungwon blinks a couple times. “You what? I thought you were on the phone with the CEO.” Kihyun smirks and shakes his head. “I was, you idiot. But then they called me and I closed the deal before I went to get you. They're paying well, and you'll meet other DJs. Maybe you'll make friends, I don't know.” He looks at Hyungwon's raised eyebrows and sighs. “Look, Summer is just around the corner, you will have plenty of time to pamper your own fans. And by the way things are going, they'll probably be the only ones there anyway.”

“Am I even complaining?” Hyungwon asks, holding back a laugh. “I'm fine with that, it'll be fun.” He shrugs. “Count me in.”

“Pff, like you had an option.” Kihyun rolls his eyes as he prints the contract Hyungwon needs to sign.

 

The 'Spring Festival' was a big deal, Hyungwon could see when he got there a month later, it had been going on for about three years, and it was organized by the very same owners of international festivals that happened throughout the year, something Kihyun conveniently forgot to mention. It was an open air thing, two stages and neon lights all over, and Hyungwon was scheduled to be the last one to play. It was more of a tactic, since he was the most famous one, the wait would hold all the people in, no one was leaving before they listened to his set.

And he had promised a new mix specially for this festival, announced it on Instagram and Twitter. He knew his fanbase was all there, all ready to make lives and publish right away whatever news he gave them.

He sighed, an energy drink in hand as he watched a girl group's presentation. It kind of took him back to the day he signed the contract, and how when he got home the first thing he did was to look up for that Minhyuk guy. Kihyun was right, he had that song stuck in his head for a whole week, not able to either stop singing to it, nor listening to it and _worse_ watching the music video. It was bad enough that by the end of the second day he knew all the lyrics to that song, and by the end of the week he had listened to his most recent mini album fully. At least ten times.  
In a sense, he was looking for inspiration, and Minhyuk's music was giving it to him. He worked hard, non-stop, not sleeping and using most of his day to deliver a new song for approval. He needed that for the Spring Festival, and he had almost no time to waste.

When his producers approved of it, it was a relief.

They even mentioned it didn't quite sound like most of his songs, it had a lightness to it, like he had composed it _”under the trees in a park on a sunny day”_.  
He felt tempted to tell them, to tell Kihyun the fault was in that terribly catchy song. It wasn't even good, Minhyuk wasn't even that good, to be honest. But once you listened to it, you were doomed.

Most DJs that were yet to perform were there on the back, watching the shows going on the stage. Most kept to themselves, giving a last test on their equipments, relaxing, or just talking. Even though there were no rules whatsoever about drinking, Hyungwon always preferred to perform completely sober, relying mostly on water, soft drinks and sometimes energetic drinks, like this time. But there was this guy, he had seen him around here and there, they crossed paths a couple times, and Hyungwon never had a good feeling about him. He was always being too loud, to rowdy, and in the small space they shared in the backstage this could easily become a problem. This time he was on his third or fourth beer, sitting a few seats from him, his laptop opened on a high table in front of him, which was mostly meant for everyone to place their glasses on. He had been bragging about his new composition, how good and catchy it was. Honestly, Hyungwon was more interested in the girls moving around the stage. 

He liked dancing. He liked people that could dance, move their bodies in sync with the beats, almost like the music was coming from their moves, not the opposite.

“...that _faggot_.” he loud DJ chuckled, most people around him laughing nervously, clearly uncomfortable. Hyungwon slowly turned his head to the source of the homophobic term, now fully glaring at him. This wasn't very smart, the man was at least twice his size, the type that probably lived off whey and gym and got that beach tan. One punch and Hyungwon would be bleeding all over. 

But he was angry now, they were in public, this idiot couldn't do anything stupid, right? Hyungwon coughed, gaining his attention. “I'm sorry, I was distracted, could you repeat what you just said?”

The man laughed, nodding. “Oh, I was telling them how easy it was to get the sample of that pathetic song, 'Sunny' or something, and re-do it, mix it here and there and get myself a mix they can't sue me for. And how much of a faggot that guy that sings it is, he couldn't stop ogling me the other day.” He looks around as he speaks, waiting for approval, for people to indulge him in it. 

No one says a thing.

“Wait. You're saying you _stole_ a sample from a song that is successful, added stuff to it, made it sound like it's yours and you're getting money from it? And on top of all that you're calling the guy who actually created it a... I won't even repeat that.” Hyungwon says in monotone, shaking his head. “First, you should know that Minhyuk guy – because yes, he has a name – is from the same company I am. And second, you must really have a huge gay crush on him. You stole his song, you can't stop bagging about him...” The man stands up, ready to talk back, people around them either taking steps back or getting ready to hold them back.

He groans and chuckles. “Well, guess what? I'm not a fag like the likes of you, and I got the mix, will sell it and make money you won't.”

Hyungwon lets his eyes travel to the laptop, his blood is boiling and he just wants to scream and shove his whole fist inside his mouth.

But he doesn't. 

He takes the five steps he needs to reach the table, hands his drink to someone, takes the laptop in his hands and slams it against the floor. The silence around them is deafening, only broke when he takes his drink back and pours it on top of the now destroyed laptop. There's not much to say after that, there are hands on him after a fist connects with his face, lots of shouting and people being pulled apart, and all he can think is how much his jaw _hurts_ when he laughs. Because he is so nervous he _laughs_ , and laughs and laughs, until he finds Kihyun's infuriated face in the mess and is taken away to the medical centre of the festival.

 

Kihyun’s voice can be heard on the other side of the door, where he’s making phone calls and dropping apologies everywhere. Hyungwon has stopped laughing now, and the only thing in his mind is a series excuses he creates to explain what happened.  
Nothing seems plausible, though. He doesn’t know himself what came over him, knowing well he shouldn’t have acted like that. “I'm so screwed...” he mumbles to himself, pressing a pack of ice to his jaw, it still hurt and would most likely hold a bruise in the morning. To his despair, Kihyun chose this moment to exit the room he had been in, lips pressed together in a thing line that showed how pissed he was, holding back – probably – from exploding right there. “Get in the car, Hyungwon. We're going home.”

He feels his eyes go wild, ready to protest, but Kihyun just lifts a hand, sighing heavily. “Don't. You're not performing today, the press is everywhere because you just managed to kill two attractions in one go. We're not talking about it today. You're going home, and we'll talk sometime this week after I get things sorted out.”

The drive back home is long and quiet.  
More than normal, since Hyunwoo isn't actually the most talkative person Hyungwon has ever met, but this time he feels like there's something in the air, hanging there ready to be said, but doesn't. The music playing on the radio is low and calm, a soothing voice guiding him on his way back home, the ice pack now discarded in a plastic bag by his feet as the sound of acoustic guitar strings almost make him believe everything is fine. It's not before they're parking in front of his apartment complex that Hyunwoo – his body guard and driver on free times – turns around and takes a deep breath. “Was this your first fist fight?”

Hyungwon looks up from the door handle and into his eyes. It wasn't exactly a fist fight, he wants to say. It was more like something taking over him to the point someone punched him for being a crazy weirdo. But he just nods, and then adds. “I didn't get to use my fists though.” He tries a bitter laugh, but it comes out more like a strangled whine.

The man nods, still serious. “But it was brave, defending Minhyuk's honour like that.” He says and frowns. “Still, if you want an advice, don't watch TV tonight, don't go online, just rest. You'll have plenty of time to worry about what's on the media.”

He feels a shiver down his spine. “Oh. Ok.” He says, already worrying. “Ah, and I wasn't defending anyone's honour, I was just...” He turns to Hyunwoo, now noticing the way he talks. Hyunwoo probably knows Minhyuk, unlike himself. “The guy was being an idiot, he went as far as to steal a sample from this Minhyuk kid and made it his. Then he just said a lot of bad stuff about him, and I lost it.” He sighs. “Hyung, there are libraries and libraries of samples you can buy, some are even free. Many artists end up buying the same samples, reason why some songs are familiar to you when you first listen to them. He could've used any sample in these libraries, but he chose specifically a successful song. He's not just a bad person, a homophobic, he's also greedy.” With a sigh he opens the door. “I may have overreacted, I admit that, but he at least got what he deserved.” He jumps out of the car and closes the door, moving to the passenger's window. “I'm sorry for the disturbance, and thanks for the advice.” He smiles and gets inside. Hyungwon lifts his chin and smiles to himself, he's ready for whatever comes his way.

Spoiler: he wasn't ready.

Two weeks passed and the more he wanted the rumours to die down, the more they surfaced and were thrown at his face. The whole story had grown from him throwing the laptop on the floor and getting punched to him throwing the laptop at one of the securities that were around, and beating the other DJ down with a plastic chair until someone held him back. They were speculating if he was drunk when it happened, if he was on drugs, if he had stolen a mix from the other guy, who somehow was seen as the innocent one in all this.  
Hyungwon couldn't even go downstairs to check his mail without the doorman staring at him with a scared yet doubtful look.

When he finally got his meeting with Kihyun in the company, he left the house with a mask on and a hat, ordered his coffee on a different café then the usual, and took the longest way there just to avoid passing by people he knew. The girl on the front desk in the company threw him one of those unsure smiles, and told him – specifically told him – he should wait in front of Kihyun's office, not there. Not with everyone else.  
In the big screen he watches one of his videos being played, as if mocking him. If he was honest with himself, he would say his career was over. He had done it, he got the bad reputation one does, and to erase that... well, nobody actually erased their past when they got involved in a scandal. He had heard from Kihyun a lot during those two weeks, he mentioned how bad things were for the company, how they had to cancel the other guy and his performances, and that people that went there to seem them only started to ask for a refund. The festival had a big hole in their gain, and it was all _his fault_. And now there he was, ready to have the talk with his manager. He wouldn't be surprised if they decided to throw him in the dungeons for God knows how long, or until their contract expired. Or even if Kihyun said they were done, and Hyungwon wouldn't be a part of the X Ent anymore. 

Hyungwon stepped inside when Kihyun's assistant called him in, giving him that 'you're so dead, hyung' only Changkyun knew how to convey. And Kihyun was sitting behind his desk, calmly sipping a cup of coffee, watching Hyungwon with a straight but solemn face. “Good to see you, Mr. Laptop Killer. I finally have news for you, have a seat. Changkyun, you can stay, I'll need you too.”

“First, this is not a nice nickname...” Hyungwon started.

“You don't deserve a cute nickname, beanpole.” Kihyun cut him, but Hyungwon only took a deep breath and continued.

“Second: don't leave me hanging, just tell me what you decided.” He'd rather rip the band-aid off in one go.

Kihyun chuckles when he says that, fixing his round glasses over the bridge of his nose, hands placed on top of the desk. “Don't worry too much, we're keeping you. Somehow I convinced the producer of the festival to let it slide, we talked about how much of an ass that guy was, and I even convinced him that punching you was worse than you breaking the laptop. Of course he was angry at how much they lost, but Summer is coming, and so are the better part of the money making concerts.” Kihyung shrugs. He was almost smiling when he said all that, but then he grows serious, staring at him over the frame of his glasses. “The biggest problem is the media, and how much you managed to stain your reputation here. I reckon you've read what's out there, right?”

He nods. “I lost ten thousand followers over night.”

“Good! Maybe this way you'll learn not to be an idiot.” Kihyun spats. “Anyway, we found a way to get your reputation back. Changkyun, put this pen back where it is, it's a Mont Blanc.” He glares to the youngest among them, who had been twisting an average looking pen between his fingers as he cautiously puts it back where it was. “You're going to make a collab mini-album, and follow Lee Minhyuk on his next tour. The songs are mostly ready, we just need you to change them to your liking, and that's it.”

Hyungwon blinks a couple times, looks at Changkyun who just shrugs, and back at Kihyun. “Wait, how exactly will this clean my image?”

His manager sighs and leans back on his chair. “Remember when you asked me about Minhyuk, and I told you he's Korea's new sweetheart? He can easily grow on people, and he keeps on going up on charts while you keep going down. Minhyuk is cheerful, sweet and you will hate him at first, but if there's someone who can put a good word out there for you and be believed, it's him.” Kihyun groans and snatches a second pen from Changkyun's hand. “I don't expect you to become best friends, but out of all our artists, he's the one I trust to make things work for you.”

Changkyun then lifts his hand, a confused frown on his face. “Where do I fit in this obvious mess, hyung?” He asks.  
Kihyun brightens up at that, clapping both hands together and smiling at them. “By the time Hyungwon and Minhyuk leave on tour, I'll be leaving on vacation. You'll be the one going with them, Changkyun! I heard you've always wanted to go to Europe, this is your chance!”

Hyungwon widens his eyes as Changkyun drops his jaw. “I've never said hyung!”

“Kihyun, are you sure?” Hyungwon asks at the same time, gaining a very offended look from the youngest. “With all due respect, Hyung, are you saying I'm not capable of shoving you and Minhyuk hyung on a plane? Because I am.”

The manager just watches the interaction, chuckling to himself. “Chill, both of you. There will be some places our schedules will overlap. And you can always message me if you have anything you need to know, alright?” And then he glares at both. “Don't screw this, or I'll kill you. I swear you won't see the light of day for weeks while I torture you both and then feed you to sharks in a tank.”

It only downed on him the absurdity of what was happening when he finally got home, papers signed and schedule in hand, dropping the papers on his coffee table, dates placed here and there, names he had never seen before and his phone full of new contacts he wouldn't dare calling anytime soon. Not that he was angry at any of them, or blaming anyone but himself, but things moved too fast: one day he was in Dubai, revelling on how good his life was, how things were working out for him. Now he was submitting to a collab with someone he had only seen in video to save his career. He wondered if Minhyuk had ever been in Dubai, if he had ever seen só many people screaming his name his head was close to exploding. “Shit”, he mumbled, holding his head in his hands as he sighed, wanting more than anything for this to go away. If only he could wake up to realise this was just a bad dream, that he drank something he shouldn't and was hallucinating... but no. Actually he couldn't even get shit faced tonight for in the morning he had to meet people in the studio, listen to the tracks and work on them with Lee Minhyuk's team.

Being punched in the jaw hurt less than this. Getting his pride scratched was painful.

 

Hyunwoo picked Hyungwon up around six in the morning, too early to even breath, in his opinion. Minhyuk's team worked on the other side of town, and Hyunwoo said it would take them too long, the traffic was terrible around that time. Hyungwon didn't care much, head against the window, glassy eyes trying too hard to stay opened while he texted Changkyun.

**Changkyunnie:**  
_just be nice to them and work as a team, hyung_

**Me:**  
_Of course I'll be nice to them! What are you going on about?_

**Changkyunnie:**  
_hyung, you did break someone's equipment just because they were being stupid_

**Me:**  
_You have a point. Remind me again why Minhyuk isn't going to be there to work on his own music?_

**Changkyunnie:**  
_dance practice, hyung, he dances too, he doesn't only sing_

Hyungwon groaned.  
This was going to be one of those jobs he would want to die before it ended, right? Because he had the feeling once the other listened to all the mixing they did in the studio, he would want to change a thing or two. Having gained the title of the country's sweetheart probably made him a diva, like it happened to many, many artists that got to the top. If that was the case, Hyungwon felt like he'd need some therapy to control his anger issues.

Who knows what he could break this time?

**Me:**  
_Send him to the studio if he gets any free time, please._

**Changkyunnie:**  
_Just remember I'm the one giving orders here. But will do, hyung, will do._

 

Turns out Minhyuk's team was good.  
Too good, to be true. It felt almost like Hyungwon was working with friends. They were cheerful but calm, and the whole studio seemed to be a very relaxing place for all of them. From the moment he arrived he was welcomed into the team, they showed him around, taught him where was what, and placed him in a room for himself. He had all the necessary equipment and all the samples he had to work on. They showed him where to get coffee, water and snacks. “If you need anything,” a tall, handsome guy they called Jinyoung said, “just ring me on the radio. I'll be on the room by the end of the corridor”. Hyungwon nodded and as he walked out got his phone. Hyunwoo left him a message, saying he was going to meet with Minhyuk's body guard, to call him when he wanted to be taken home. He replied the message and started working on the tracks.

They weren't _bad_ , but they weren't what Hyungwon was used to work with. Some were too k-pop like, some sounded like a mix between Phillip Phillips and Ed Sheeran, and these were the hardest ones for him.

He was afraid he wouldn't deliver them in time.

But he worked, as hard as he could because he had a career to save, and maybe if he worked hard enough, and was nice enough, people would start seeing him as he was. Maybe they'd understand he did what he did because the other person was in the wrong, as extreme as it may have looked. 

That afternoon, after around five cups of coffee, he called Hyunwoo and asked him to bring him his computer. Hyungwon copied all the files he knew he wouldn't have time to work on while in the studio, because he knew he could do that at home if he sacrificed his sleeping schedule, as painful as it was for him to do something like that.

He had five tracks to work on, it was just a mini-album, and he had three week to deliver it perfectly. 

He started getting in the studio in the first hours in the morning, and leaving after stores were already closed. Every track he was done with was sent for approval – Minhyuk? Kihyun? Who knows... - and not a single one was rejected.

By the end of the third week, after he was done with everything, he slept for twenty-seven hours without interruption, and woke up feeling like a new person and to around five hundred messages from Kihyun and Changkyun asking if he was still alive. After he answered them – much to his own entertainment – he showered, dressed up and headed to the studio he was now claiming as his own. He spent so much time there during the past weeks he couldn't even remember how it felt to work somewhere else. He stepped inside smiling happily to everyone, made his way to the studio he was used to working in and stopped dead in his tracks. Sitting there, with the back turned to the door, was a mop of orange blond hair, legs pulled up close to his body, the computer on and the tracks he made playing.

Hyungwon opened the door slowly not to startle him, and as soon as he closed the guy turned the chair around, facing him in simple jeans and a white t-shirt. “You're H.One, right?” Lee Minhyuk smiles, his voice hoarse and low. “Hyungwon, you can call me... call me Hyungwon.” he says chuckling.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, losely inspired by Taylor Swift's song.


End file.
